Perfectly Unpredictable (18 page)

The next morning, Kalia woke up with
sunlight peeking in through the curtains. She reached across for Mack, but the
bed was empty. And it was awfully quiet. She glanced at the clock and bolted
upright. Nine a.m.? Couldn’t be. Mani was always up by seven. She grabbed her
robe and belted it around her waist as she dashed to the nursery. The door was
open and the crib empty.

A squeal of happy laughter pierced the air,
and she let out a breath.

She followed the noise downstairs and
stopped in the doorway of the living room. Mani sat on the floor in his pajamas,
with bits of rice cereal in his hair, clapping and grinning at Mack.

Mani squealed again.

“Hey big guy, you gotta keep it down.
You’re gonna wake your mom,” Mack said, tickling Mani’s belly.

Her heart melted, and she had to clear her
throat before she spoke. “Good morning, you two.”

Mani looked over and his eyes lit up. “Ma .
. . ma.” He held out his arms.

“Did you hear that?” Kalia laughed. “He
said mama.” She picked Mani up for a hug and kissed his forehead. “You said
mama. Aren’t you a clever one?”

“He is,” Mack said, getting to his feet. He
leaned over and pressed his lips gently to Kalia’s. “Good morning.”

“Good morning. Thanks for getting up with
Mani. What time did he wake up?”

“Six thirty or so. I heard his music box
playing. You were sound asleep, so I thought I’d see if he’d be okay with me.”
He stroked Mani’s hair. “We figured out how to make cereal, didn’t we big guy?”

Mani pumped his legs, and Kalia grinned.
“That’s great. He was up at five for a feed, but he fell back asleep. I guess I
did, too.”

“Well, he seemed content with cereal. He
might need his diaper changed, though. I drew the line there.”

Kalia chuckled and rubbed Mani’s back. “Not
a problem. I changed him at five so it hasn’t been that long.” Mani turned in
her arms and rooted for her breast. “Ah. Hungry for more, are you?”

“I’ll grab a shower while you feed him.
Would you like a coffee first?”

“I’d love that.”

They walked into the kitchen, and Mack
waved her to sit down. “Go ahead. I’ll get the coffee for you.”

She settled Mani at her breast, and he latched
on hungrily. Mack moved around the kitchen, whistling under his breath as he
fixed a coffee for her. Nothing sexier than that. Loose T-shirt over his broad
shoulders, morning scruff, radiating happiness. She could wake up to that sight
every single day.

Mack walked over, leaned down, kissed her,
and handed her the coffee. “You’re beautiful.”

Kalia smiled. No make-up, ratty hair, sleep
in her eyes.
You’re a sweetheart.
“I
love you.”

Mack’s grin widened. “I love you, too.”

Mani stirred, and Mack pulled away
ruefully. “Make that a cold shower.”

Kalia’s heart swelled with love. She’d need
a cold shower, too.

Mani finished with the first breast, and
Kalia burped him before putting him to the second one. When his eyelids drooped
and the sucking slowed, Kalia patted his back and carried him upstairs. After
changing his diaper, she put him in his crib and covered him with a light
blanket.

On her way out of the nursery, she eyed the
jewelry box she’d left on Mani’s dresser. Alexandre’s ring, she thought with a
sigh. She opened the lid and the diamond and sapphire winked back at her. Emotion
swirled through her and love enveloped her in a hug.

“Hey.” Mack stood in the doorway, his hair
damp, a towel around his waist. He reached out his hand.

Kalia closed the box and set it on the dresser
again. She placed her hand in his, and he drew her close, softly shutting
Mani’s door behind them.

Mack framed Kalia’s face with his hands and
kissed her. The kiss deepened when she opened her lips and rose on her tiptoes
to press against him.

Mack pulled back. “It’s nap time, is it?”
he said, with a twinkle in his eye.

“It is.” She pressed a kiss to Mack’s
throat. “But I hope you’re not interested in sleeping.”

Mack wiggled his eyebrows. “Hell, no.”

Kalia made quick work of Mack’s towel. Mack
hiked her up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her into
the bedroom. They tumbled onto the bed, and Kalia ran her hand down his
abdomen, following the path of coarse hair on his belly as it dipped below his
waist. Mack stripped her pajamas off and crushed his lips to hers. His fingers
swept from the curve of her breast, across her ticklish midriff, and brushed
her hip. They danced lower, never stopping, stroking, taking time on the
sensitive spots, making her writhe and groan.

She bucked and grabbed his hips, ready to
guide him inside.

“Condom?”

Kalia groaned. “Nightstand.”

Mack ripped open the package and rolled the
condom on.

Kalia watched, her heart tripping,
impatient for his touch. She clung to his shoulders, loving the weight of his
body on top of hers. And raised her hips. When he slid inside, she moved to
take him deeper. Long hard strokes. Tighter. Faster. She tried to stay
grounded, but her body floated, her heart filled, and her breath caught on a
shudder. Mack braced his weight and, with one last deep thrust, let the waves
rock them both.

Mack lowered himself on top of her, then
flipped and rolled and cuddled her to his side. He kissed her hair. “I love
you,” he whispered hoarsely.

It took her breath away. She had to blink back
tears before she spoke. “I love you, too.”

Mack squeezed her against him and pulled a
light sheet over them. “Why are naps only for kids? I think we’re on to
something here.”

Kalia smiled. “I’d have to agree. If I
didn’t know Mani was going to be up in an hour, I’d say we should stay this way
all day.”

Mack grunted. “I could get on top of that.”

Kalia laughed, pulled back the sheet, and
sat up to straddle him. “Good idea.”

Later, they sat together at the kitchen
table eating breakfast.

“This is delicious. You make a mean French
toast,” Kalia said, licking maple syrup off her finger.

“My limited repertoire of breakfast food.
Tastes even better with whipping cream,” he said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

Kalia laughed. “I think we still have
chocolate sauce to use up, too.”

Mack grinned. “Can’t wait.” After a few
more bites, Mack set his cutlery down. “Kalia?”

Kalia glanced at him, and her heart
stumbled at his expression. His eyes were serious, his eyebrows drawn together
in a frown.

“You are beautiful.” He reached out to hold
her hand. “It’s not just your gorgeous eyes or the way you smile that takes my
breath away. It’s everything about you. You are generous and loving. Selfless
and smart. You make me laugh, and you brighten each day. I don’t think I really
understood what love was all about until I met you.” He threaded his fingers in
hers. “Now all I know is that I don’t want to live without you.”

Kalia blinked back tears.

“I don’t know if it’s too soon for you,
Kalia . . . I love Mani and want to be a family. If you’ll let me, I want to
adopt Mani and make him my son. I don’t know if I can be half the parent you
are, but I’d like to try. I love you both with all my heart.” He brought their
clasped hands to his lips for a kiss.

Her hand trembled in his.

He went down on one knee. “Kalia, will you
marry me?”

“Oh, Mack.” Kalia brushed away tears and
reached for him to stand. “Yes. Yes, please.”

Mack’s smile widened, and with a whoop, he
lifted her up and twirled her around. He set her down and kissed her deeply.

When they broke apart, Mack ran a gentle
hand down Kalia’s cheek and brushed away tears. “I want you to be happy.”

“I am, Mack. I really am. I love you with
all my heart. I want to be a family, raise Mani together, and maybe have more?”
She watched for his reaction.

“Absolutely.” He kissed her again. “I don’t
know what the future will bring for my music, but if you’re willing to walk
through it together, I think we can figure it out as we go.”

He brushed a lock of hair from her face. “I
haven’t bought a ring yet. I wanted to ask you.” He cleared his throat. “I
don’t know if this is a good idea, but I thought I’d ask.” He shifted from one
foot to the other and his eyes clouded. “I know that Alexandre will always have
a piece of your heart.”

Kalia raised watery eyes to his. “I can’t
help it, Mack. But my love for you–”

“Shhh . . . it’s okay.” He touched his lips
to hers. “I wondered if you would like to have an engagement ring designed that
incorporates the ring Alexandre gave you. Blend it with a new ring –
to symbolize the love we both hold in our hearts for you.”

Tears streamed down Kalia’s cheeks. She
couldn’t speak.

Mack raised his hands in the air and stepped
back. “I’m sorry. It’s a bad idea. I’ll–”

Kalia pressed a finger to his lips. “I–”
she swallowed “–I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you would
think of that,” she whispered. “I love that idea.” She kissed him. “My love for
you is so huge, Mack. I can’t wait to start our life together. I want to stand
by your side and be there with you, for whatever the future holds for us. To
help you be the best that you can be, through the ups and downs, and share the
laughter and the tears.”

Mack brushed her cheek with his thumb. “Hopefully
there won’t be many tears.”

“Tears of happiness.” She hugged him close.

A ray of sunshine flooded the kitchen.
Kalia looked at the strong bright beam of light and felt Alexandre’s blessing.
A feeling of contentment washed over her.

“I feel very lucky to have you in my life.
Who’d have thought?”

Mack looked at her with love in his eyes.
“It’s true. Unpredictable. But perfect.”

“Perfectly unpredictable,” Kalia said, and
kissed him. “It fits. And as long as I’m with you, I wouldn’t want it any other
way.”

“Me either.”

Music filtered down from upstairs, and Mani
babbled.

“But you know what is predictable?” Mack
gave a crooked grin.

“What?”

“I think I’m going to have diaper changing
lessons in my future.”

Kalia pressed a hand to her heart. “I’d be
happy to teach you.”

They shared a laugh, and hand in hand, went
up to draw Mani into their circle of love.

Linda O’Connor started writing a few years ago when she
needed a creative outlet other than subtly rearranging the displays at
HomeSense. It turns out she loves writing romantic comedies and has a few more
stories to tell. When not writing, she’s a physician at an Urgent Care Clinic
(well, even when she is writing she’s a physician, and it shows up in her
stories :D). She hangs out at www.lindaoconnor.net.

Laugh every day. Love every minute.

Perfectly
Honest
 
(Book 1)

You never know where your words will take you . . .

When Mikaela Finn agreed to be Sam’s ‘fiancée’ for a
weekend, she probably should have told him that she’s a doctor.

Sam O’Brien, aka ‘Dr. Eye Candy’, is trying to shed his
playboy reputation and convince a small town hospital that he’s ready to settle
down.
 
But when his ‘fiancée’ helps
deliver a baby in the middle of the meet and greet, it’s a bit of a shock. If
he’d known the whole truth, he might have done things a little differently
because somehow his ‘fiancée’ ends up stealing his job and his heart. Not exactly
the change he wanted.

Lies and deceit – it’s a match made in heaven!

Available at
https://www.amazon.com/author/lindaoconnor